


Accidental acquisition

by errantknightess



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Cats, Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts, Fluff, Gen, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-30
Updated: 2018-11-30
Packaged: 2019-09-02 16:44:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16790779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/errantknightess/pseuds/errantknightess
Summary: Noctis wakes up to a cat curled up on his chest. It's not his cat, and he has no idea how it got there, but who is he to question that, right?





	Accidental acquisition

**Author's Note:**

> For [this](https://ffxv-kinkmeme.dreamwidth.org/5690.html?thread=11295546#cmt11295546) kinkmeme prompt:
> 
> Noctis wakes up one morning to see a cat sleeping on his chest curled up into a little fluffball. At first, he thinks it's adorable and starts to pet it. Until he realizes this isn't his cat.
> 
> And he doesn't have a cat.
> 
> +++++ how the cat got in is up to you to figure out (did it parkour its way up to his balcony? slip inside through the door when no one was aware? climb into the vents? idk)  
> ++++++++ Ignis walks in later to see Noctis holding the cat like a baby (because obviously it's his now) and just sighs and gestures for an explanation

Just this once, waking up didn’t feel totally terrible.

Noctis groaned, giving up almost without a fight when his mind started to ease out of sleep. He’d have to move soon, anyway; his neck ached like crazy, arched against the armrest of the couch. And yet he’d slept so well… On the edge of his memory, blurry shreds of a dream teetered and slipped away, plunging back into the darkness behind his eyelids. It had been a good dream, which he didn’t have a lot of recently. It was almost a shame to let it go. But still it lingered, somehow, flooding Noctis with a sense of calm and comfort as his consciousness slowly trickled back in. He felt warm, as if something kindled in his chest, something radiant and so overwhelming it was a little hard to breathe. No, wait. It wasn’t _in_ his chest, rather _on_ it. Weird. Noctis reached up gingerly, groping for the source of the unexpected weight. The warmth spread and swirled in his stomach as his probing fingers sank into silky fur.

“Carbuncle…?” he mumbled.

No reply – no happy squeaks, no new message tone from his phone.

Noctis cracked open one eye, struggling to look down his nose and focus his bleary vision. There was a strange lump over his sternum, blending in so well with his black shirt that for a moment he could barely tell it apart. Once he figured out what he was looking at, though, it was easier to see it – the small, triangular head, the long whiskers and pointy feline ears. Noctis pulled his hand back, smoothing it gently over the kitten’s side. It was really soft and really, really nice. What a good way to wake up. But he couldn’t get up yet, right? That would be just cruel. The kitten looked so cute and peaceful. If it wanted to nap some more, he should let it. He should _join_ it so it would sleep better, Noctis reasoned, letting his eye fall shut again.

A second later, both his eyes snapped open very, very wide.

Noctis stared at the kitten, blinking rapidly to make sure he was fully awake and this wasn’t just another part of the wonderful dream from earlier. It wasn’t. The cat was still there, solid and fast asleep, and definitely not _his_.

He didn’t _have_ a cat.

Noctis’s groggy mind scrambled to comprehend this magical moment. He’d had a fair amount of experience with various things materializing out of thin air, but a cat was a first. And it was _way_ better than his swords, which were pretty cool to begin with. But he would have noticed if he were running around with a little fluffball in the Armiger, so if this one wasn’t on him, where did it come from? And more importantly, was it going to vanish as suddenly as it had appeared? Noctis held his breath, in case the slightest move could send the precious creature away in a spark of blue light. The kitten didn’t look like it was going anywhere. It lay still, curled up in a perfect circle, the fuzzy tip of its tail covering its twitching nose. Noctis could see the tiny hairs waving slightly to the rhythm of its breaths. Choking down a decidedly undignified sound, he raised his hand and carefully nudged the tail away with his finger.

The kitten stirred, wrinkled its nose one more time, and opened its eyes.

They were big, round and green, staring back at Noctis as if _he_ was the one out of place there. They stayed on him like that for a moment – and then blinked, slowly, like a silent nod of approval. Noctis blinked right back. He wasn’t sure exactly what this conversation conveyed, but the kitten looked satisfied with it. It blinked again, rolled over to its back, and rubbed its face into his shirt.

Noctis’s heart quietly exploded.

“Hey there, buddy,” he said in a hushed voice, almost too quiet even for himself to hear. The kitten picked it up easily, though, ears pricking up like two delicate satellite dishes. Noctis gently ran his finger between them. The kitten tilted its head, pressing into his touch. Its eyes squinted shut again, and from this angle its tiny mouth looked a bit as if it were smiling. Which was silly, of course, cats didn’t smile, but Noctis still tentatively decided to take it for a good sign. He continued to pet it, moving his hand to give the kitten a few scratches on the exposed chin. That earned him a deep, delighted purr, one that set his chest into tremor so much his lungs tickled. Noctis bit down on his lip, trying his best not to laugh. The last thing he wanted was to jostle the kitten and scare it away. But it didn’t seem to mind at all; it just wiggled back onto its belly and yawned widely, lolling its tiny tongue out.

“Why are you so cute?” Noctis whispered, amazed. In lieu of an answer, the kitten punctuated the yawn with a lick over its nose, and okay, no, that was too much. Noctis risked shifting just a little bit and felt around the floor for his phone. The kitten watched him patiently, wiggling its ears every now and then. The tip of its tail twitched nervously as Noctis brought the phone between them, tilting it to and fro to adjust the camera view.

“Smile,” he said and tapped on the screen.

The first photo came out pretty fine: surprised green eyes in a pointy-eared blob. You could almost tell it was a cat. The next one featured a blurry black pancake as the kitten crept closer, flattening itself against Noctis’s chest. The third photo was an extreme close-up of an inquisitive nose pressed to the camera, bordered with a halo of white whiskers. The rest of them depicted Noctis’s hand at various angles, trying and failing to hold the curious fluffball at a respectable distance from the lens. The fluffball was clearly amused by those attempts. Some twenty-odd snapshots in, it decided that bumping its head into Noctis’s palm was much more fun than bumping it into the phone, and that was when Noctis finally gave up.

“You don’t want photos? Fine. I don’t like them, either.” He dropped the phone, letting it slide between the cushions. The kitten perked up, nosing at Noctis’s empty hands with newfound energy. It looked happy to have all of his attention back. Noctis chuckled as its scratchy tongue licked his thumb. It felt kind of like sandpaper, if sandpaper could be _adorable_.

“You’re funny,” he said softly, letting the kitten polish the pads of his fingers to its heart’s content. It purred in agreement, green eyes squinting at him in that slow blink again. Noctis wiggled his fingers, but this time instead of the tongue he got teeth.

“Ow,” he yelped, more in surprise than pain. It didn’t really hurt much – barely a prick of a pin. He quickly pulled his finger out of the kitten’s mouth and gave it a light but stern boop on the nose. “Hey, no biting!”

_No biting_ apparently meant _bite me again_.

“Come on,” Noctis sighed, withdrawing his finger and folding it away in a fist. The kitten batted at it with its paw, confused. Noctis slowly extended the finger again, then hid it just as the pointy teeth made another grab at it.

“Too slow!” he laughed. The kitten pawed at his hand, still trying to figure out where its new toy went, and how to get it out. With every tap of the velvety toe beans on his knuckles, Noctis felt his heart swell at least two sizes. He pulled his finger out again, and the kitten latched onto it, squeezing it between the front paws like a priceless treasure.

And then bit down on it.

“That’s how you want to play?” Noctis’s tone wavered between fond and defeated as he took his hand away to the sounds of heartbroken meowing. “Shh, don’t cry, I’ll give you something better.”

The kitten startled back as he flicked his wrist in a flash of blue. Its pupils shrunk into narrow slits, fixed firmly on the lure that appeared in Noctis’s hand. Noctis felt its fluffy tail swishing anxiously across his stomach, back and forth, steady like a clock on a countdown.

“Here, see?” He shook the lure, wondering if the kitten could still smell fish on it. The tail picked up speed, and the kitten warily reached out towards him. Noctis lowered the lure, allowing the soft paw to test the bright yellow feathers and the hard plastic body they were attached to. The verdict was positive. The kitten nuzzled the lure with flaring nostrils and started biting at it with vigor that sure would have broken skin were it still directed at Noctis’s fingers.

“Oh, you like it?” Noctis laughed, stroking the fuzzy hair on the kitten’s chest. “Great. Turns out it’s a cat lure. Now I know why I could never catch anything good with it.” He grabbed the lure and tugged at it lightly, just to make it more of a challenge. The kitten tightened its grasp, still chewing away at the plastic. Noctis pulled harder and plucked it out of the greedy mouth before it made quick work of the feathers. The squeaky protest he got in response was just about the cutest sound he’d ever heard.

“You’re making this hard, you know,” he sighed, rattling the lure over the kitten’s head. “We need to teach you how to share your toys.” His hand drew a couple loops in the air, the clump of feathers swaying slowly in its trail. The kitten followed it with watchful eyes, rolling its head whichever way it went. Its butt wiggled in anticipation. The hunt was on.

Noctis barely had the time to react before it pounced on his face.

He supposed he had it coming, pulling the lure out of reach at the last moment. It could have been worse. At least there were no claws involved. Still, the wonderful fluffy fur didn’t feel as good in his mouth as it had under his fingers. Noctis sputtered with hair and laughter, making the kitten squirm even more as it tried not to slide down.

“Shoo! Off!” He pushed it aside as gently as possible, scrubbing his tongue against his teeth. The kitten shook itself off and sat back on his chest, eyes wide and attentive. Noctis watched its pupils dilate like two black balloons as he dangled the lure in front of them.

“Not sure you deserve it now,” he teased. That was a bold-faced lie. That little fuzzball deserved everything in the world, and Noctis would give her all of that in a heartbeat. All the fish lures, all the chin scratches and belly rubs. Maybe even a nobility title.

The kitty made another swoop, missing the lure entirely and patting Noctis’s chin instead. Undeterred, she went right for the next one. With trembling heart, Noctis observed as she pulled herself up on her hind legs, wobbled uncertainly, and toppled over straight into his waiting hand.

“Careful,” he scolded softly, running his fingers over her side in a calming gesture. The kitten whined and nuzzled into his palm. Maybe letting her prance all over him like that wasn’t the best idea. Those clumsy paws needed solid ground.

Noctis wasn’t quite sure how to pick her up – how to hold something so small and fragile and _squirmy_. His hands felt clammy as he wrapped them gently around the soft, warm body. Thankfully, it was a short way from the couch to the floor. The kitten didn’t even have time to contest the sudden change before he set her down at his feet and crouched to join her.

“That’s better, right?” he said, leaning to level their eyes as the kitten took in the dizzying expanse of the floor. It was _not_ better, apparently. She tapped critically at the carpet, claws out and catching on the fibers, and turned to him with a woeful meow.

“Hey, it’s fine.” Noctis scrubbed his hand over the carpet and waved his fingers. “See? You can step on it. Go on. Here’s your toy, you want it, don’t you?” The lure bounced on the carpet, bright and familiar, and the last trace of hesitation vanished. The kitten was at it in one jump, rolling it around between her front paws and purring like a power drill. Noctis stretched out on the floor beside her, his cheeks almost numb from smiling.

“How aren’t you tired yet? This looks exhausting.” He flicked the lure away as it tumbled to him, making the kitten sprint across the carpet. She nearly tripped over herself – but instead of chasing the feathery tip, she made a sharp turn and dove under the table. Straight into his snack stash.

“No!” Noctis threw himself after her, nearly bumping his head on the tabletop. By then, the kitten was already halfway in an open bag of chips, tail wiggling outside in agitation. Noctis pulled her out with no small effort; how could such a tiny creature be so hard to move?

“Don’t eat these, silly,” he said, carefully brushing the crumbs off her nose. “They’re not good for you. _I’m_ not even supposed to have them.”

The kitten licked the salt off her cheeks and squeaked loudly, twisting back in Noctis’s grip. She must be hungry, it dawned on him. But what do kittens eat? Was she even old enough for proper food? He scooped her close to his chest and picked up his phone. Maybe the internet would have some answers. There had to be someone out there who knew, right?

* * *

Ignis turned the key in the lock, balancing the bag of groceries and the thick folder in the crook of his arm. He could already imagine Noctis wincing at both of those. The vegetables were a lost cause, but at least the reports might get back in his good graces after the midterm exams were over. Until then, Ignis would simply have to push a little harder than usual.

The door clicked shut behind him, startlingly loud in the silence of the apartment. Ignis took off his shoes and eased his arms, depositing the papers on the dresser in the hallway. The stack he’d dropped off earlier was still where he’d left it, but he hadn't really expected Noct to have got to it yet. Given the hour, he was likely still busy with his homework, or taking a nap—

Or standing in the middle of the living room, cradling a cat in one hand and furiously typing on his phone with the other.

Ignis paused on the threshold, tightening his grip on the shopping bag ever so slightly as his grip on reality slipped loose.

“Good afternoon,” he said.

The cat in Noctis’s arms regarded him with a bewildered stare, and a moment later so did Noctis.

“Ignis!” he called with palpable relief. “Great! _You_ will know!”

“Know what, exactly?” Ignis hazarded, admittedly somewhat flattered by his friend’s unwavering faith in his mental capabilities even at this trying moment. Noctis pocketed his phone and scratched the cat under the chin. It licked his fingers, letting out a series of high-pitched noises.

“I think she’s hungry, but I don’t know what to feed her,” Noctis explained. “And I’m not really sure I have anything to give her, anyway.”

“I see.” Ignis pushed up his glasses and moved on to the kitchen to unpack the groceries and this entire situation. The initial surprise was wearing off quickly, giving way to the much more useful urge to get to the bottom of the matter.

“Whose cat is this?” he asked from the depths of the fridge, strategically placing the tomatoes in the back where Noct wouldn’t see them. “You should probably consult her owner before giving her anything to eat.”

“I’m her owner.” Noct leaned against the counter, lazily petting the cat on the head. “She’s mine now.”

That pretty much confirmed Ignis’s fears. Well, what’s done was done. He couldn’t have been there to prevent it, but hopefully it still wasn’t too late to do some damage control.

“Where did you get her?”

“She’s a gift from the gods,” Noct muttered, his nose buried in the fine fur on the cat’s neck. He merely shrugged under Ignis’s unimpressed glance. “I don’t know. She was already here when I woke up.”

That was _worse_ than Ignis had feared. An impulse adoption from a reliable source, he could accept – endorse, even. But this? This was a bad idea if he had ever seen one, and watching Noctis for so long he’d seen quite a lot of them. He had to put a stop to this, and quickly – though judging by the kissy sounds the prince was making at his new companion, it was probably too late already.

“In that case, we’d better find out where she came from.” Ignis closed the fridge and faced that frankly embarrassing spectacle full on. “And most importantly, how she got _in_. I’m afraid it raises some security concerns for your apartment. I’ll have it looked into immediately. Meanwhile, you should put up a notice at the Lost & Found in the foyer.”

“A notice?” Noctis looked up at him, clearly having only caught the tail end of his speech. “That’s not fair! You can’t just give her away!”

“I don’t intend to give her _away_ , Noct,” Ignis sighed. “I want to inquire about giving her _back_. Did it occur to you that perhaps she already has a loving home?”

“Of course she does!” Noct bristled, hugging the cat closer to his chest. “She’s got a loving home _right here_.”

Ignis pinched the bridge of his nose. This was harder than he had anticipated. He hadn’t seen Noct that worked up about anything in a while, and he’d be lying if he said it wasn’t a welcome change. He’d hate to see it gone. But if that were to happen, it was best to deal with it sooner rather than later.

“I understand you’re fond of her. All I’m asking is that you don’t get too attached just yet,” he said at last, almost in one breath so as not to give Noctis a chance to protest. “She might very well be a stray, but we have to make sure. You can’t simply usurp someone’s cat, even as a prince. _Especially_ as a prince.”

That seemed to have hit the mark. Noctis lowered his eyes, pulling on his bangs like he did when he was deep in thought. When he looked up again, his gaze was still sulky, but somehow sharper.

“Fine. But if no one comes to claim her in a week, I’m keeping her.” He rubbed his knuckles on the cat’s cheek, his eyes softening in an instant. It was clear even a week would be too long. But that was an acceptable compromise at least. Ignis nodded shortly and cleared his throat.

“If you insist,” he went on once he got Noct’s reluctant attention back. “But in that case, she shall be your own responsibility. I will expect you to see to her needs and figure out how to care for her on your—”

“Yeah, sure,” Noct said quickly. “You can lecture me later. Now, speaking of care, she’s hungry, and I need your advice just this _once_ , okay? Do you have any idea what she eats? I tried to moogle it, but I only got canned food ads.”

“Yes, I believe a specially prepared formula would indeed be best.” Ignis tapped his chin, for the first time taking a closer look at the cat – well, kitten, really. “I’m afraid we’ll have to improvise. Some of the chicken I’ve bought for the broth should do the trick.”

“Awesome.” Noct lit up and opened the cupboard to find an appropriate bowl. He filled it with water, expertly maneuvering with one hand while the kitten attempted to climb his shoulder. He set it on the counter, and Ignis barely had time to intervene before the cat joined it there.

“No pets on the table, Noct, please.”

“Come on, Specs,” Noctis grumbled, shielding the kitten with his hand. “She’s tiny! We’ll step on her if I put her on the floor!”

“No one will step on her, I assure you.” Ignis reached over Noct’s arm and gently picked the kitten up. She was surprisingly light, even for her size. And she licked his finger as he released her safely in the corner by the fridge.

“She likes you,” Noct noted with a smile, setting the water bowl in front of her.

“Or perhaps she can still smell food on my hands,” Ignis countered, though he too couldn’t help but brighten seeing the kitten lap at the water with a tiny pink tongue. He’d better set about preparing that chicken – who knew how long the poor thing had gone without eating.

With Noct’s eager help, it didn’t take much time at all. As far as meals went, this one was nothing to be proud of, but oddly enough Ignis still felt that familiar warmth swelling in him as he watched the kitten scarf down the neatly diced meat. She must have been really hungry. Nothing could take her attention off the bowl, not even Noct scratching behind her ears. She polished it all off in a matter of minutes and flopped down on the floor, showing off a full, rounded belly.

“Well, now that that’s taken care of,” Ignis turned to Noct, pointedly ignoring the rising desire to dip his finger into the fluffy fur, “I suppose both of us have some work that had taken the backseat to this… development.”

“All right,” Noctis sighed, though without the usual grumpy undertone. He gave the kitten one last pat and shuffled to collect his paperwork from the hallway. As soon as he left, the kitten scrambled up and wobbled after him on her short stubby legs. Ignis had half a mind to stop her, but thought better of it. If she were to become a permanent fixture in Noct’s life, it would be useful to see how he fared with such a distraction.

Noct made his way back to the couch and the kitten followed, rubbing against his foot the second he sat down. He laughed and picked her up, much more confident in his moves than when Ignis first saw him try that. The kitten curled up in Noct’s lap and purred happily. Ignis could hear her all the way across the room, which he assumed was a good sign.

“You like it best here, huh?” Noct muttered, petting her slowly along her back. “That’s good. I like you best here, too.” The kitten closed her eyes and nuzzled into his stomach, and then Ignis lost visual because Noct opened up the folder with his reports and honest to gods started _reading_.

In the companionable silence broken only by the quiet rustling of papers and soft purring, Ignis found it easier to rearrange his thoughts. The conclusion he came to was simple, and the longer he turned it in his mind, the clearer it became.

If anyone came to claim Noctis’s cat, they would have to go through a _very_ strict background check.


End file.
